


How it all Started

by entranym



Series: Snapshot [1]
Category: Ben 10 Series
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:26:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27071962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/entranym/pseuds/entranym
Summary: The optional prequel to the Ben 10 Ken and Jen AU no one asked for.
Relationships: Ben Tennyson/Gwen Tennyson
Series: Snapshot [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1975807
Comments: 3
Kudos: 11





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing. Not even my house considering I'm still paying the mortgage.
> 
> I am by no means a good writer. I am but a simple procrastinating student.
> 
> I said I was done after Parenthood but here I am! Also, yes. There will be a sequel to Parenthood.
> 
> This story will act as a prequel for another story I am working on titled Snapshot. These stories would definitely not exist if it weren't for the absolutely wonderful csgt bringing the book Ken and Jen to my attention. After reading it I couldn't help but play with it by making some sort of Ben 10 high school AU out of it.
> 
> This AU will be a Frankenstein-esque lovechild of multiple bodies of work.
> 
> \- Ben 10 (mainly OS)
> 
> \- Ken and Jen by Sadie Ma
> 
> \- Little Moments (Classic, Rebooted) by Shadows59, Erico
> 
> \- Little Moments AU - Side Stories by delmartian
> 
> \- Reminder by Nate-Mihael
> 
> \- I Wanted What I Saw That Day by Gojaimas
> 
> Special thanks to the entire discord for hyping me up to basically rewrite a book! Especially csgt, Polytropus, The Blade of Osh-Tekk, delmartian, and Nate-Mihael.
> 
> If you somehow haven't yet checked out their stories. They're all amazing writers that have more of a knack for this than I ever will. I'm already tired…
> 
> I apologize in advance for my writing style. If you read "Parenthood" you know what I'm referring to. Nate-Mihael once called it "punchy" (I really like that). It's why I enjoy writing very short pieces opposed to long chapters.
> 
> Hope you can still enjoy!

* * *

**Children**

Max Tennyson blew out a long breath as he glanced in his RV's rearview mirror. This. This right here is what he was most afraid of. What he just _knew_ would happen by not shielding his family from his job.

He saw his grandchildren start to squirm under the blanket they shared. Max could hardly remember the last time he'd seen them cuddle like this. Under happier circumstances he'd be delighted. But he knew whatever happen during those days they spent in space without him was likely the cause of their abrupt closeness. No, he was sure of it. And if the looks they gave him on their return were any indication of how things went, the details they were keeping from him might dwarf the news he was currently sitting on. Still he decided to hold off on telling them for...well as long as possible. He could tell just by looking at their sleeping faces that anything could break them at this point. For now, he had to handle them the way he should have from the start. The way he wished he had handled their fathers. Like children.

* * *

**Dweeb**

Ben Tennyson let out a yawn as something soft tickled his face. Red hair. He looked down to see what it was attached to. A dweeb. A living, breathing dweeb. Relief washed over him every time that realization hit him. He closed his eyes, pulling her sleeping form closer. A sorry attempt at going back to sleep. His pre-Xenon self would be disgusted by his current behavior. But keeping Gwen close was the only way to hold the anxiety at bay and she didn't seem to mind it. In fact, the cuddling seemed to help her too. Unfortunately, his body was done with sleep. He guessed watching her sleep was an ok way to pass the time.

* * *

**Secrets**

Gwen Tennyson was pulled from her thankfully dreamless sleep by a sudden jolt. Her head and hands were pressed against something too firm to be a pillow. The doofus. It was his chest. She looked up. His arms tightened around her shoulders as their eyes met.

"Hi."

"Hey."

"You can…uh…let me go now."

"Oh! Sorry…" Ben released her, scooting away towards the corner of the bench. Gwen wasn't sure, but his face looked redder than usual. Maybe hers did too.

"Alright kids, we're here." Max's form appeared in the doorway.

"Where is "here" exactly?" Gwen asked, standing up. Before her grandfather could answer they heard the RV door click open. Soon a short woman with graying red hair came into view.

"Grandma!" both children jumped up to her.

"Hi kiddos!" Verdona Tennyson knelt down, wrapping her arms around them.

"I missed you and your grandfather so much this summer." She kissed each of their foreheads before standing back up. She turned around, motioning for the summer trio to follow.

"Come on inside. There's a late dinner and warm cozy beds waiting for you."

Ben and Gwen exchanged a look.

"Wait. I thought you said we were heading to D.C. to drop Gwen off." Ben looked to his grandfather in confusion. Verdona's expression became downcast as a frown overtook her husband's face. Suddenly Max looked ten years older.

"We were; however, that was before our last little...detour. Don't worry. Your parents will be here soon. You'll just go back home with them." He ruffled Ben's hair before walking forward to stand next to his wife.

"Enough talk for now. I don't know about you two, but I'm starving. Let's get inside."

That seemed to satisfy the kids. Max figured it had more to do with their current emotional state than the explanation itself. Their reactions to seeing Verdona were the happiest he'd seen either of them since before their trip to Xenon. He was grateful for that. Maybe she could get them to open up about what happen. She was always better at that type of stuff than he was. If it weren't for her, he would have never been honest with their sons about the Plumbers. Then again considering how things were looking now maybe that would have been for the best.

* * *

**Insomnia**

Ben had a stomach full of normal home cooked food. He was freshly showered (at his grandmother's request). And tucked into a real bed for the first time in months. He couldn't sleep though. It was all the sleeping he did on the Rustbucket. Right? It wasn't. It was Gwen. He needed her. Without her in sight angry butterflies infested his stomach and wildvines drug her down to her death on repeat in his mind.

Ben considered getting up and going to her room. Concern for his grandparents' possible reactions to finding them in the same bed was nonexistent. Still what if she didn't need him? What if she didn't want him? For some reason that second thought hurt more than the first. His inner struggle was cut short by a small knock at the door.

"Come in."

Even in the dim moonlight Gwen's hair and eyes shone.

"Hey, I... Uh, couldn't sleep." Ben cocked an eyebrow.

"...okay?" A look similar to her usual one of annoyance crossed Gwen's face. Her left hand found its home on her hip.

"So, are you gonna scoot over or should I just lay on top of you?" Both children's eyes got wide at the unintended implication.

After a pause, Ben silently scooted to one side of the twin-sized bed, leaving her ample room. Gwen slid in making sure not to touch or make eye contact. She hoped the red on her face wasn't noticeable in the moonlight. It was. Or at least it would be if Ben wasn't adverting his gaze as well. A few more minutes passed before either child was brave enough to steal a look at the other. When they finally did, they found a pair of bright green eyes meeting their own. Yes, being near each other was better than being apart. But if they wanted the full effects of each other's presence touching was mandatory. Ben reached out and placed his hand over hers. Gwen gave him a small smile. If he hadn't been concentrating so hard on her face, he would have missed it. She pulled his hand with her as she turned her back to him scooting a bit closer in the process. Now they were snuggling. Spooning to be exact. Once again Gwen's hair tickled his face as the scent of strawberries wafted into his nose. Sleep no longer seemed like an impossible task.

* * *

**Food**

Carl and Sandra Tennyson arrived at their parents' home right at the crack of dawn. Being a Plumber definitely had advantages in the transportation department. Before Carl could even raise his hand to knock on the front door his mother opened it.

"Hi, mom."

"Hello, sweetheart. And hello Sandy." She gave her son and daughter-in-law a sad smile as they both enveloped her in a hug.

"It's good to see you, Verdona. I just wish it was under better circumstances." She nodded in agreement.

"Well it's no use standing out here. There's a fresh pot of coffee in the kitchen and a Pumpkin loaf in the oven." Carl winced at his mother's last statement.

"Who made it?" Verdona gave him a small smirk, closing the front door behind them.

"Don't worry, honey. Your father is still in bed. The kids too, but that's probably not a surprise." Carl let out a small sigh of relief that Sandra couldn't help but smile at. Max's cooking seemed to be more than an acquired taste. Sandra scanned the living room.

"Where are the kids?" Verdona waved a hand to the staircase, walking towards the kitchen island.

"They're in Carl's old room. I would have just set them up in the living room, but I thought they might prefer a night in a real bed instead." Carl and Sandra shared a look. Verdona answered their unsaid question, taking a seat.

"We put Gwen in Frank's old room, but she somehow made her way into bed with Ben." She smirked. "You really should see how cute they look cuddled together like that again." She was happy to see some genuine smiles come to Carl and Sandra's faces at that. Yes, things were dark. That didn't mean every fragment of joy and happiness needed to disappear from their lives.

"I think we'll just have some coffee for now." Carl made his way to the cabinet he knew held the mugs. Sandra sat down opposite of Verdona. A timer went off. Verdona rose up and went to the oven.

"Looks like the bread is done." The pleasant scent of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger became stronger as she opened the oven to remove the pan.

"Something smells good." The three turned to see Max enter the kitchen, still in his clothes from the day before. Sandra rose to give the man a hug.

"Hey, dad." Carl set two mugs of coffee down before hugging his father as well. Max smiled at the two.

"I'm glad you guys were able to make it here on such short notice." Sandra gave a small shrug coming out of the hug.

"We had some business to take care of in Washington. Coming here made more sense regardless of…" She trailed off, remembering why they were all here in the first place. Verdona cleared her throat.

"Well this loaf isn't going to eat itself. Come. Sit. We'll all feel much better with something in our stomachs." They all readily obeyed.

There was no use arguing with Verdona especially when it involved food.

* * *

**Truth**

Gwen awoke to the smell of what she hoped was her grandmother's eggs and sausage and the low rumble of more than two voices. A true grin made its way to her face.

"They're here!" She jumped out of bed, causing Ben's upper half to fall off the side of the bed.

"Ow! What's wrong with that nerd brain of yours now?" He pulled himself up, rubbing his injured forehead. Gwen turned to him with the most Gwen look he'd seen on her face since…well before everything.

"Our parents, Doofnugget. They're here." Gwen didn't wait for his response. She hurried out the room and down the staircase, Ben unknowingly hot on her tail. When they turned the corner that led to the kitchen she came to an abrupt stop, face falling.

"Where are my parents?" All four adults turned to look at the kids simultaneously. Ben offered up a reasonable explanation.

"They're just still on their way. Right, dad?" Carl barely met his son's gaze, let alone offered him an answer. Verdona knelt down to Gwen's eye level, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Why don't you come get something in your stomach first. Then we can talk abou-"

"No!" Gwen shoved her grandmother's hand away.

"I don't want to eat. I want to know why Grandpa's had that same sad look on his face for the past week. And why you, uncle Carl and aunt Sandra all look that way now. Where. Are. My. Parents?" Tears were starting to trail down her face. Ben looked at her, lost. Not knowing if he should place a hand on her shoulder, wrap her in his arms, or stay exactly how he was. His parents and grandparents are looked at each other, having a complete conversation through only facial expressions. Finally, Max took the lead, pulling out a chair and gesturing to his granddaughter.

"Alright. Come sit down, Pumpkin, we'll tell you everything."

* * *

**Resolve**

In the end, everything turned out to not include much information. Frank and Natalie Tennyson were missing. Specifically, Natalie had gone missing on her way to visit her family. And Frank took it upon himself to find her. Alone. Neither the Plumber nor the witch's life force could be sensed on Earth. Verdona was sure of it. She and Natalie's mother had tried countless times. That didn't mean they were dead though. No. They were just somewhere else which was common for members of the Tennyson clan. What wasn't normal was for them to go dark like this.

Carl told his niece he planned to lead an intergalactic search team himself. Max quickly cut him off saying he needed to stay here with his family. He would go instead. Everyone protested that idea.

"Grandpa, no! Tetrax already said it's too dangerous for you to leave earth." Gwen hugged her grandfather tight. Max rubbed her back letting out a soft chuckle.

"I will be okay, Sweetheart. I have less conspicuous ways of traveling the galaxies than Tetrax's flying mansion. Plus-" he motioned to Verdona who placed an arm around his shoulder. "With a little luck from your grandmother I'll be untraceable." Both children narrowed their eyes, quirking a lone eyebrow at the man. But no more questions were asked, and no more explanations were given.

It was settled.

Max Tennyson was going to bring his son and daughter-in-law back.

**Part 1: End**


	2. Part 2

* * *

**Easier**

Gwen Tennyson sighed once again flipping through her "borrowed" spell book. The weeks following her parents' disappearance were not fun to say the least. She loved her grandmother, but not having the Doofus or Grandpa Max around made things even harder.

Ben tried to stay with her. Going so far as to latch on to her and every other thing he could get his hands on as his father tugged him away.

" _No! I can't leave yet! Gwen needs me!"_ Carl let go, sighed, looked to Sandra, then knelt down.

" _Look, kiddo. I know you want to be here for your cousin, but we've gotta get back to New York. We've been here over a week and you start school tomorrow."_ Ben let his head fall.

" _I can't let her down again…"_ His voice was small and low, but everyone still heard it. Only the two of them knew what he met by it. Verdona stepped up, handing Ben and Gwen each a weird rectangular slab of some sort.

" _I know it's not the same as having the other right there, but why don't you two try using these old Plumber-grade communicators. Your dads got a kick out of them when they were your age."_ She winked at them. _"Plus, your grandfather made some upgrades since then. Maintaining a solid signal between here and New York won't be a problem."_ With wide, bright smiles on their faces, the children attacked their grandmother with a group hug.

" _Thanks, Grandma!"_ They gripped her as tight as their arms would allow. Verdona smiled down at her grandkids. She knew she could never make everything right, but she could at least try to make this mess easier.

* * *

**Doofus**

Max's absence gave Gwen mixed feelings. On one hand it gave her hope that her parents would be located soon. On the other it made her worry that she would lose her grandfather too. At times like this she would reach out to Ben. Usually he would answer no matter what he was doing. This led to some…interesting conversations. It also meant he'd gotten written up for leaving class more times than he'd care to remember. She dialed his number into the communicator and held it to her chest, waiting for him to pick up. A click. She counted. He picked up on the first ring.

"Sup, Dweeb." A smirking Ben in a deep red polo shirt graced her screen. Gwen could see he decided to retreat to his school's rooftop this time. No doubt with the help of the watch. Seeing him made her giddy. She didn't know why, and strategically chose not to think about it. Reserving brain power for new spells was more important. Grinning ear to ear, she tried - and failed - to repress a small giggle.

"Hey, Doofus."

"I was just about to call you. You wouldn't believe what me and Jamie did in science class today." Gwen couldn't help it.

"'Jamie and I.'" She corrected. The look he gave her was priceless.

"New rule. No nerd-talk unless you're helping me with my homework." Gwen scoffed.

"Like I'd ever." Ben rolled his eyes dramatically.

"Do you want to hear about the school wide evacuation I caused or not?" Her grin had softened into a sweet smile. She laid back into the throw pillows at the head of her bed.

"I do." He grinned.

"So, we had just got to class and…"

* * *

**Inheritance**

Gwen was stressed. Well, more stressed than usual. Hiding spell practice from her grandmother was getting difficult. It seemed like every time she so much as thought about trying out a spell Verdona popped up. It was really getting annoying. If she could get better at magic, then maybe she could find her parents. It was worth a shot. Right? But how was she supposed to get better when she couldn't even practice? Gwen pulled at her hair in frustration. Like clockwork, her grandmother knocked on her door. She hung her head in defeat.

"Come in." Verdona entered with a plate a of cookies and a glass of lemonade. From scratch and hand squeezed, respectively, of course. She sat them on the desk next to her granddaughter's spell book, a twinkle in her eye.

"Y'know, I was hoping you'd take a hint. But I guess picking up on subtleties was never something the Tennysons were known for." Gwen looked up, giving Verdona a confused look. She smirked in response. With a small twirl of her finger she produced a flower made of blue light. A light Gwen had grown very familiar with over the summer.

"G-Grandma!?" She fell out of her chair, eyes wide and mouth a gape. The woman began to laugh, allowing the flower to dissipate. She then helped her grandchild up. Her smile never leaving her face.

"Pumpkin, did you really think you were the only witch in the family?"

* * *

**Promise**

Verdona had made a promise to Natalie years ago. A promise that she unfortunately needed to break. Natalie wanted Gwen to have a normal life. No magic. No spells. And as little Plumber activity as possible. According to Max all three of those were now null and void. Still, the whole family promised that they would keep Verdona and Natalie's abilities from the children.

Now, it was clear Gwen had inherited something from one or both of them. Verdona knew Natalie would want to train her herself. But she wasn't here. And no one knew if she would ever be back. Gwen was ready to learn. After multiple failed attempts to get the girl to confide in her, Verdona came clean. She couldn't lie. She was excited. Neither Frank nor Carl had "the spark." And Natalie had her own mother to teach her. This was finally her chance to pass down her knowledge. She just hoped Natalie would find it in her heart to forgive her.

* * *

**Break**

Max wasn't sure if he could go home and face his wife let alone his granddaughter. Him and his crew's efforts were fruitless. Even with a witch as skilled as his wife on board. So far there was no trace of Natalie or Frank. Frank never even confirmed that he had found his wife in the first place. For all anyone knew their disappearances were unrelated. Max ran a hand through his hair. It was definitely grayer than it had been before he left. He sighed as he reached the front porch, knowing Verdona was right on the other side of the door waiting for him. She opened the door and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I know you did everything you could. And our little Pumpkin will too." Max buried his face in her hair, a tear escaping his eye. He wasn't done. He wasn't going to give up. But his team was spent and he was too. Right now, he needed to be home.

* * *

**First Day**

Gwen steeled herself as she looked up at the sign. Spring semester was definitely not a good time to start going to a new school. But she knew she couldn't stay at home forever. Her grandparents had kept her teachers and the administration at bay as long as they could. They refused to send anymore of her schoolwork home. She had tests to take and book presentations to give. Walking through the front doors she let out a long sigh.

"Oh my god! Did you see Becky Lakens outfit?" Gwen turned her head towards the obnoxious voice. It belonged to a tall girl with long brown hair. A shorter girl with black hair next to her nodded enthusiastically.

"Oh my god! Yes! She looked like an overweight bumblebee!" They both giggled much harder than warranted as a blonde girl grabbed a few books out of her locker. When the girl turned around, she looked bored and annoyed.

"Is ripping on her outfit the best you guys can do?" Both girls became silent. The blonde tossed her hair over her shoulder and started walking. The two others followed close behind. Walking toward the administration office, Gwen made a mental note to _not_ introduce herself to them.

* * *

**Perfect**

"So how was it?" Gwen let out a loud pillow muffled groan. She rolled onto her side and stared into the communicator screen.

"Terrible." Ben let out a full hearty laugh.

"Who are you and what did you do with my nerd?" Gwen glared, then quickly started to blush. If Ben had also caught what he said he wasn't giving it away. She was currently debating on whether or not to tell him about who she saw in the halls on her way to lunch. Kai. Fucking. Green. She vaguely remembered Grandpa Max mentioning that the girl's parents lived in Bellwood. She just didn't think they'd end up at the same school.

"…Hello? Earth to Dweeb. Are you in there?" Gwen shook her head, looking back at the screen.

"S-sure. What were you saying?"

"I asked if you wanted to hear the latest song I'm working on." Her eyes lit up with mischief.

"I guess I can handle a bit of that ear torture you call music." Ben rolled his eyes half-heartedly before stepping off screen to presumably grab his electric bass. She would never tell him, but she loved hearing him play. Especially since she was the only person he'd play for. He was actually pretty good. He didn't need that going to his head though.

"Alright. Now I just started on this yesterday, so keep your expectations low." He sat down, fiddling with the strings. Gwen gave him a soft smile.

"Don't worry, Ben. My expectations have always been low for you." He stuck out his tongue but said nothing. He began to play. He was right. It was still rough. But to her, in that moment, it was perfect.

* * *

**Mysteries**

Gwen wiped her face with the corner of her towel draped across her neck. At first, she hadn't been too keen on starting back at Karate. But Max insisted on it. Neither him or Verdona wanted her extracurriculars to suffer because of the current circumstances. Her new sensei seemed nice enough. Her classmates were okay. Though, one blonde boy had made things complicated. Paul. She was pretty sure he went to the same school. She'd seen him in the halls. But judging by his height he was probably in seventh or eighth grade. Her first time in class he kept glancing at her. She checked multiple times. There was nothing on her face or in her teeth. She was about to walk up to him and ask what the hell his problem was when he beat her to the punch.

Sensei instructed the class to partner up. Before she could even look around for someone Paul was in front of her. His bright blue eyes dazzling.

" _Hey. It's Gwen, right?"_ She nodded, not sure what else to say. He gave her a million-dollar smile.

" _Do you want to be partners?"_ This time she was able to get her vocal cords to work.

" _Sure."_

Paul Jones seemed to be a decent guy. He was smart. Athletic. Good at video games. And, played guitar. The Doofus would love him. Oh. And according to most of the female population at their school, he was hot. Gwen didn't realize the shitshow she would be getting herself into just by talking to him. Let alone joining his friend group. Which was microscopic. One. He had one friend. Emily. His pretty, brunette next-door neighbor. It was confusing. That was until Gwen saw it for herself. Paul could hang out with anybody. But he prioritized Emily. And, now her as well. At first the realization made her squirm. She had joined Emily in the ranks of most enviable girls in school. She didn't like that. Those girls she'd seen her first day now knew her by name. They pinned both her and Emily with glares whenever their paths crossed. Gwen made sure to return the favor tenfold. She now knew them by name too. Marci, Blair, and Olivia. Bellwood Academy Middle School's stereotypical rich mean girls. She wasn't impressed. After what she had to deal with over the summer? _Please_. She was more concerned about Kai Green. Though, _why_ she felt that way when the girl hadn't so much as looked her way was still a mystery.

* * *

**New Year**

Gwen pulled on the straps of her backpack, making her way up the front steps. The summer had come and gone. There was no epic road trip this time. Honestly, for that Gwen was thankful. The anniversary of her parents' disappearance had also passed. Max continued his search efforts. He was gone more than he was home. Still, it was getting harder and harder to have hope that she'd ever see them again. The doofus was still just that. A doofus. He had spent his summer in some sort of Junior Plumber camp. Ben had made it very clear to her and his parents that he planned to continue in the family business. Sandra and Carl were proud, but also worried. They as much as Max knew how dangerous the profession could be. As for Gwen, her grandmother proved to be more useful than Charmcaster's spell book ever was. She already had her grandmother's flower trick down. At her current pace she'd be kicking but without outwardly casting spells in no time.

A pair of small hands covered her eyes.

"Gwen! Guess who!" That giggly voice could only belong to one person. Her shoulders slumped.

_Oh no._

"Lucy." The bubbly blonde released her, jumping into her field of vision.

"Correct!" The smaller girl gave a twirl. Gwen offered her a small forced smile. Although she would never admit it, a very, very tiny part of her was happy to see a familiar friendly face.

"I'm guessing you go here now?" Lucy's grin got impossibly bigger as she bounced on the balls of her feet.

"Correct again! You're really good at this." Gwen resumed walking. Lucy followed.

"What grade?"

"I'm officially a sixth grader." She puffed out her chest, trying to look bigger in stature. Gwen thought as much. That explained why she didn't see her skipping through the halls last year. Once again, the blonde jumped in front of her path.

"We should try out for cheer squad together!" Gwen gave the girl a look before stepping around her. Her? A cheerleader?

"Yeah... That's definitely never going to happen." Lucy just grinned, falling back into step. Gwen stopped in front of her homeroom. She gestured to the door.

"I've gotta go to class." Lucy gave her a quick hug before leaping away.

"See ya later!" Gwen pinched the bridge of her nose.

This year was going to be interesting.

* * *

**Shared Enemies**

"WE ARE THE MIGHTY PANTHER TEAM WE'RE GONNA ROCK OUR TEAM TO A VICTORY!"

Gwen regretted this decision. She sat cross armed and legged on the bottom bleacher. Lucy stood beside her copying the cheer team's every move. The living ball of energy even had her own set of pompoms for goodness sake. She heard a giggle come from her other side. Cooper must have made a joke Emily found funny. The number of acquaintances from last summer that were showing up at her school was getting ridiculous. Who would be next? Kevin Levin on the football team? Vilgax on the cheer squad? She shook her head in disgust. Vilgax in a skirt was the last image she needed in her mind.

"Woo! Go Kai!" Gwen glared at the field.

The cheerleaders were practicing some sort of jump as the teams huddled up. Seeing Kai Green out there made her hate the idea of cheerleading even more. Once the huddles dispersed her whole reason for being there came back into view. Paul. He'd personally asked her to come cheer him on. He'd been a good friend to her these last few months. She'd even told him about her parents. It was obvious he'd really asked her to come tonight because he wanted her to get out more. Besides Karate and school, she was a homebody. And she liked it. That way she was able to maximize her time talking to the doofus. Except tonight was different. She touched the pocket her communicator was in. Ben hadn't called or sent any messages all day. He didn't even respond to any of hers. By the end of school, she started to worry. But Verdona and Max brushed it off, saying he was probably just busy doing something with Carl and Sandra. It was obvious her grandparents were more concerned with her getting out of the house for once.

"Careful, Kai. We wouldn't want you to slip and fall mouth first on a dick. Oh wait. That already happened didn't it?" Gwen's glare tightened and redirected.

Marci and her minions stood at the field's fence. Kai and the rest of the squad gave the girls their ugliest stares but said nothing. The one Gwen figured was the captain called out a cheer. The rest followed not missing a beat.

Sure, Gwen didn't like the girl. But knowing she was also on the receiving end of Marci's wrath didn't make her feel any better.

* * *

**Wins and Losses**

There were eight seconds left in the fourth quarter. The Bellwood Panthers were down by three points. One more touch down. That's all they needed.

"SET!"

"HIKE!"

The ball was airborne. Paul caught it. He ran. He dodged. He slid. But he never got touched. And he never let that ball go. His moves on the field were reminiscent of his moves in the dojo. A loud horn filled Gwen's ears.

"TOUCHDOWN! The Panthers win!"

Next thing she knew Lucy had her in a strangle hug as she jumped up and down screaming at the top of her lungs. Most of the fans were rushing the field. Gwen allowed herself to get pulled along until she saw the figure approaching her.

"Grandma? What are you doing here so early?" Verdona looked serious. As serious as she did last August. Gwen's heart dropped.

"No..." Tears started to well in her eyes. "No, no, no, no, no, no..." she shook her head, tears trickling down her face. Verdona's own eyes had started to glisten a little more than usual.

"Gwendolyn, we need to go home."

* * *

**Wins and Losses 2**

There had been an attack on the New York City plumber base. None other than Vilgax. Ben was okay. Carl and Sandra hadn't been located yet. And Verdona was struggling to sense them.

The media was already catching wind of the tragedy. Noting the heroics of a creature they labeled "Earth's Hero." A Plumber's kid that defended the base and prevented countless deaths by making sure Vilgax was gone. Permanently. Gwen didn't need confirmation. She knew it was him.

Max arrived early the next morning with Ben in tow. He looked so fragile. Like at any moment he could fall and shatter into a thousand pieces. And when he finally met Gwen's eyes he did.

Right into her arms.

**End**


End file.
